If you need tickets to the San Diego Zoo or the Safari Park and other Southern California attractions, it’s worth checking out the available multi-attraction ticket discounts under both attractions to see if they can save you extra money. Be sure to compare the final cost of a multi-park pass to the combined cost of the individual tickets; the best deal varies depending on the specific attractions and the discounts that are currently available.

All offers are subject to change without notice. Always call ahead and confirm before driving out of your way to take advantage of a particular offer!

San Diego Zoo Gate Prices

1-Day Pass is $54 per adult (age 12 and up) and $44 per child (age 3-11) and includes admission plus unlimited use of the Guided Bus Tour, Express Bus and Skyfari Aerial tram.

2-Visit Pass is $86.40 per adult (age 12 and up) and $76.40 per child (age 3-11) and includes two 1-Day Passes that can be used at the San Diego Zoo and/or San Diego Safari Park.

Annual Pass, valid only for those who live in California zip codes 91900-92899, is $166.50 for two adults in the same household or $112 for one adult. Includes unlimited admission for the member(s) to the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park for one full year, 2 coupons for 50% off regular admission to either park, and other benefits. The Dual Membership is a great deal if you plan to visit both the Zoo and the Safari Park and you have 2 people or more. It is also a good deal for a family of four who want to visit the Zoo just once — use the Dual Membership for two adult admissions and the 2 discount coupons for the kids’ admissions.

Keeper’s Club Dual Membership, valid only for those who live in California zip codes 91900-92899, is $225. Includes unlimited admission for two adults to the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park for one full year, 2 FREE guest passes, 2 coupons for 50% off regular admission to either park, free parking at the Safari Park, and many other benefits. If you plan to visit both the Zoo and the Safari Park and you have 2 people or more, this is a great deal.

San Diego Zoo Ticket Discounts

Discount Tickets from Undercover Tourist

San Diego Zoo Ticket Discounts From Undercover Tourist

Undercover Tourist, a great ticket vendor we’ve recommended for many years, offers significant discounts on San Diego Zoo tickets and tickets for other California and Florida attractions. We really like Undercover Tourist because they constantly strive to have both the best prices and best customer service in the business. That’s a tall order, but we have years of experience and feedback from our readers that tells us they really deliver!

Exclusive Discounts for MouseSavers Newsletter Subscribers

Undercover Tourist offers its best prices to subscribers to the FREE MouseSavers Newsletter and Hot Deals announcements! By using the exclusive link located in every monthly MouseSavers Newsletter, you always get an extra discount on most tickets, and the lowest prices Undercover Tourist offers, across the board! In addition, Undercover Tourist puts a handful of individual tickets on sale every month, and those tickets are offered only to Hot Deals subscribers! (It’s a different set of tickets every month, and can include any combination of Disneyland, Walt Disney World and/or other California or Florida attractions.) The MouseSavers Newsletter and the Hot Deals emails also contain exclusive hotel and other discounts not found anywhere else. Remember, it’s completely FREE.

AAA Discounts

AAA is a loosely associated group of clubs that each cover a small geographical area, usually a single state or portion of a state. Different clubs have different offers, so it’s worth checking both your own AAA state club and the Southern California AAA club websites. To check your own state club, just go to AAA.com and you will be redirected (usually) to your local club. If you haven’t yet set up your online access, you’ll sometimes need to do that to see your local club’s discounts.

To check the Southern California site, use this link and enter zip code 92112. Once you get to the club home page, click the “Discounts” tab and select “Tickets.” If a particular discount on the Southern California site involves booking online through the club site, you will usually need to be a Southern California member. Discounts that involve showing your card at the gate are available to any AAA member. If you can get to a Southern California AAA club office, you can usually take advantage of offers that must be bought in person, even if you’re a member of a different AAA club.

AAA members get 10% off a 1-Day Pass, and sometimes discounts on other things such as food or merchandise.

Costco Discounts

Costco.com sometimes offers a very good discount on San Diego Zoo tickets and you don’t have to be a Costco member to buy through their site. (Non-members pay a 5% surcharge, however.) There is a shipping charge when ordering from Costco.com.

Senior Discounts

Seniors (65 and older) get 10% off a 1-Day Pass. Available at the ticket booth only (not in advance).

Airline / Cruise Line Employee Discounts

Airline and cruise line employees presenting a company-picture identification badge or CLIA at the ticket windows receive a 10% discount off the 1-Day Pass.

Military – FREE Tickets & Discounts

Active duty military personnel with valid military ID card receive FREE regular admission. Spouses and dependents receive 10% discount on 1-Day Pass only. Valid military ID required. Available at the ticket booth only (not in advance).

October is Kids Free Days

Children ages 3-11 receive FREE regular admission to the Zoo during the entire month of October (must be accompanied by a paying adult). The Zoo’s Guided Bus Tour and the Skyfari Aerial Tram are not included with Kids’ Free entrance and must be purchased separately at the Zoo.

Discounts on Multi-Attraction Passes that include the San Diego Zoo

If you know you want to visit other attractions as well as San Diego Zoo, there are a number of discount pass options available that can save you a lot of money, and eliminate the hassle of buying all of your tickets individually. We’ve scouted out some of the best discounts you can find from reputable companies and describe them here. For more details and pricing just click on the pass name.

Go San Diego Card

Go San Diego Card is an all-inclusive pass that allows you to visit as many attractions as you want within a set number of days (usually 3 to 7 days). You pay one discount price for the number of days you choose. These work well if you are visiting at least two major attractions plus some less expensive attractions. The more attractions you visit, the more you save.

Build Your Own San Diego Pass

Build Your Own San Diego Passes allow you to select where you want to go from dozens of attractions and customize your own pass. You’ll save up to 20% off gate prices when you select 3 or more attractions. You have 30 days from first use to visit your selected attractions. The Build Your Own San Diego Pass will likely save you a lot of money if you plan to visit at least three attractions in San Diego and surrounding areas.

Go Select Card Value Package Passes

These packaged deal passes offer some of the very best discounts you’ll find. They bundle several very popular attractions and offer a slightly better discount than if you were to build your own pass with the same choices. If one of these passes includes your choices, you’ll save a significant amount off gate prices, 25% to 39%! You have 30 days from first use with all of these passes.

Balboa Park Multi-Day Explorer Pass

If you also plan to visit Balboa Park, consider the Balboa Park Multi-Day Explorer Pass, which includes one admission to each of the 17 participating Balboa Park museums (valid for 7 consecutive days) and 1-day admission to the San Diego Zoo.

Hotels near San Diego Zoo

Looking for a place to stay near the San Diego Zoo? Choices are plentiful in the San Diego area near the San Diego Zoo, and getting around San Diego is fairly easy by car. If you don’t have a place in mind, we suggest checking out the hotels below. Our recommendations are not the cheapest places you can find– there are plenty of those out there– but we feel they offer a very good value for your dollar. As with our Preferred Hotels for Walt Disney World (Florida), we suggest accommodations that will enhance your stay while not breaking the bank. That said, if you are used to Orlando area pricing, you will be in for some sticker shock. Low rates for decent but average hotels start at around $80-$120/night, mid-range hotels start at around $120 and can run upwards to $275/night or higher in peak seasons.

The San Diego Zoo is located at 2920 Zoo Drive in Balboa Park, just north of downtown San Diego. Zip code is 92101.

Hilton Garden Inn Downtown – easy walking distance to the Zoo and one block from the bay, new property with interior courtyards and heated rooftop pool. Note: self parking is not available – valet only.

Best Western Cabrillo Garden Inn – Good value option if you are on a tight budget. Great location, exterior corridor style hotel, includes free continental breakfast.

Hotel Websites

Sometimes the best offers are directly through the hotels’ own websites, and if you are a member of a specific loyalty program, you probably want to search across all of that hotel company’s brands. For example, Hilton owns DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Waldorf Astoria, etc. Here are links to the overall parent company websites where you can search their whole portfolio– use Balboa Park, San Diego, California to find hotels closest to the San Diego Zoo:

San Diego Zoo Safari Park Regular Gate Prices

1-Day Pass is $54 per adult (age 12 and up) and $44 per child (age 3-11) and includes admission plus the African Tram and Cheetah Run.

2-Visit Pass is $86.40 per adult and $76.40 per child (age 3-11) and includes two 1-Day Passes that can be used at the San Diego Zoo and/or San Diego Safari Park.

Annual Pass, valid only for those who live in California zip codes 91900-92899, is $166.50 for two adults in the same household or $112 for one adult. Includes unlimited admission for the member(s) to the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park for one full year, 2 coupons for 50% off regular admission to either park, and other benefits. The Dual Membership is a great deal if you plan to visit both the Zoo and the Safari Park and you have 2 people or more. It is also a good deal for a family of four who want to visit the Zoo just once — use the Dual Membership for two adult admissions and the 2 discount coupons for the kids’ admissions.

Keeper’s Club Dual Membership, valid only for those who live in California zip codes 91900-92899, is $225. Includes unlimited admission for two adults to the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park for one full year, 2 FREE guest passes, 2 coupons for 50% off regular admission to either park, free parking at the Safari Park, and many other benefits. If you plan to visit both the Zoo and the Safari Park and you have 2 people or more, this is a great deal.

Parking is $15 per vehicle, $20 per RV. Preferred parking (available on weekends and holidays) is $33.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park Admission Discounts

Discount Tickets from Undercover Tourist

San Diego Zoo Safari Park Ticket Discounts From Undercover Tourist

Undercover Tourist, a great ticket vendor we’ve recommended for many years, offers significant discounts on San Diego Zoo Safari Park tickets and tickets for other California and Florida attractions. We really like Undercover Tourist because they constantly strive to have both the best prices and best customer service in the business. That’s a tall order, but we have years of experience and feedback from our readers that tells us they really deliver!

Exclusive Discounts for MouseSavers Newsletter Subscribers

Undercover Tourist offers its best prices to subscribers to the FREE MouseSavers Newsletter and Hot Deals announcements! By using the exclusive link located in every monthly MouseSavers Newsletter, you always get an extra discount on most tickets, and the lowest prices Undercover Tourist offers, across the board! In addition, Undercover Tourist puts a handful of individual tickets on sale every month, and those tickets are offered only to Hot Deals subscribers! (It’s a different set of tickets every month, and can include any combination of Disneyland, Walt Disney World and/or other California or Florida attractions.) The MouseSavers Newsletter and the Hot Deals emails also contain exclusive hotel and other discounts not found anywhere else. Remember, it’s completely FREE.

AAA Discounts

AAA is a loosely associated group of clubs that each cover a small geographical area, usually a single state or portion of a state. Different clubs have different offers, so it’s worth checking both your own AAA state club and the Southern California AAA club websites. To check your own state club, just go to AAA.com and you will be redirected (usually) to your local club. If you haven’t yet set up your online access, you’ll sometimes need to do that to see your local club’s discounts.

To check the Southern California site, use this link and enter zip code 92112. Once you get to the club home page, click the “Discounts” tab and select “Tickets.” If a particular discount on the Southern California site involves booking online through the club site, you will usually need to be a Southern California member. Discounts that involve showing your card at the gate are available to any AAA member. If you can get to a Southern California AAA club office, you can usually take advantage of offers that must be bought in person, even if you’re a member of a different AAA club.

AAA members get 10% off a 1-Day Pass, and sometimes discounts on other things such as food or merchandise.

Costco Discounts

Costco.com sometimes offers a very good discount on San Diego Zoo Safari Park discount tickets and you don’t have to be a Costco member to buy through their site. (Non-members pay a 5% surcharge, however.) There is a shipping charge when ordering from Costco.com.

Senior Discounts

Seniors (65 and older) get 10% off a 1-Day Pass. Available at the ticket booth only (not in advance).

Airline / Cruise Line Employee Discounts

Airline and cruise line employees presenting a company-picture identification badge or CLIA at the ticket windows receive a 10% discount off the 1-Day Pass.

Military – FREE Tickets & Discounts

Active duty military personnel with valid military ID card receive FREE regular admission. Spouses and dependents receive 10% discount on 1-Day Pass only. Valid military ID required. Available at the ticket booth only (not in advance).

October is Kids Free Days

Children ages 3-11 receive FREE regular admission to the Safari Park during the entire month of October (must be accompanied by a paying adult). The Safari Park’s Africa Tram Safari and the Conservation Carousel are not included with Kids Free entrance and must be purchased separately at the park.

Discounts on Multi-Attraction Passes that include the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

If you know you want to visit other attractions as well as San Diego Zoo, there are several discount pass options available that can save you a lot of money, and eliminate the hassle of buying all of your tickets individually. Most of the best deals are already mentioned above; to find those quickly, click on the links below. These passes all can include the Safari Park.